MIAMI -- Two tropical storms formed Monday in the Atlantic Ocean, including Rene, which took shape off the coast of West Africa.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for the Cabo Verde Islands due to the threat of Rene.
On Monday evening, Rene was located about 115 miles (180 kilometres) east of the islands and moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). Its maximum sustained winds were 40 mph (65 kph)
Rene is the earliest "R-named" storm in a record-setting hurricane season, breaking the previous record of Rita, which formed Sept. 18, 2005.
Tropical Storm Paulette formed earlier in the day in the central Atlantic, far from land.
Forecasters said Paulette's maximum sustained winds were 40 mph (65 kph) with modest strengthening expected over the next few days.
The storm was centred about 1,220 miles (1,965 kilometres) west of the Cabo Verde Islands and moving northwest at 3 mph (6 kph). It is not currently a threat to land.
